Multi-cylinder compressor having spaced arrays of cylinders

Abstract

A multi-cylinder compressor of the type suitable for use in a vehicle air-conditioning system includes a pair of axially spaced cylinder blocks for receiving a refrigerant fluid therein for compression. First and second sets of pistons are respectively reciprocated within the front and the rear cylinders, respectively by means of first and second sets of rods of different axial lengths. Also disclosed is an improved lubricating system for a compressor which includes a flapper element located near the oil hole to direct oil to the shaft seal for both clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the compressor. The compressor may also include a slanted surface on the cam rotor for splashing oil onto the compressor housing wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A compressor comprising a housing having first and second end members, one of said end members defining inlet and outlet means for a fluid to be compressed, a first cylinder arranged within said housing, a second cylinder arranged within said housing and spaced axially from said first cylinder, means for directing fluid to and from said first and second cylinders, first and second piston means respectively axially movable within said first and second cylinders and respectively defining with said first and second cylinders first and second pump chambers, a rotor extending through the other of said end members into the interior of said housing, a wobble plate operatively connected to said rotor for rotation therewith, and first and second angularly offset drive means of different axial lengths operatively connected to said wobble plate and respectively to said first and second piston means for respectively imparting reciprocating movement to said first and second piston means within said first and second cylinders, thereby to compress the fluid in said pump chambers in said first and second cylinders. 
     
     
       2. The compressor of claim 1, in which said first cylinder is included in a first array of cylinders, and said second cylinder is included in a second array of cylinders axially spaced from said first array of cylinders. 
     
     
       3. The compressor of claim 2, comprising a first plurality of drive means operatively connected to said wobble plate and to a first plurality of said first piston means, and a second plurality of drive means operatively connected to said wobble plate and to a plurality of said second piston means, said first plurality of drive means being of substantially a first axial length, said second plurality of drive means being of substantially a second axial length different than said first axial length. 
     
     
       4. The compressor of claim 2, in which said cylinders in said second array are angularly offset from said cylinders in said first array, said first array of cylinders being formed in a forward cylinder block which includes a plurality of openings which are angularly offset from said cylinders in said first array and in axial alignment with said cylinders in said second array. 
     
     
       5. The compressor of claim 4, in which said piston-reciprocating means comprises a first group of rods of a first length secured to said first piston means and said rotation-converting means, and a second group of piston rods of a second length greater than that of said first group of piston rods and connected to said second piston means and to said rotation-converting means. 
     
     
       6. The compressor of claim 5, in which said first and second groups of rods are connected at one end thereof in an alternating angularly spaced arrangement about the periphery of said wobble plate. 
     
     
       7. The compressor of claim 2, further comprising a front cylinder block including said first array of cylinders, a rear cylinder block axially spaced from said front cylinder block and including said second array of cylinders, and a valve plate interposed between said front and rear cylinder blocks. 
     
     
       8. The compressor of claim 7, in which said front cylinder block includes a plurality of openings angularly spaced from said first array of cylinders, said second drive means respectively passing through said openings for movement therethrough. 
     
     
       9. The compressor of claim 8, further comprising a separator interposed between said front and rear cylinder blocks and having a plurality of openings in alignment with a plurality of openings in said front valve plate and with said plurality of openings in said front cylinder block. 
     
     
       10. The compressor of claim 9, in which said separator also includes an axial opening in fluid communication with a discharge opening in said rear cylinder block and with said outlet means. 
     
     
       11. In a compressor including a main housing for receiving therein a quantity of a fluid and a lubricant, fluid-compressing means within said main housing, a front plate secured to said main housing, means including a rotating shaft extending through said front plate and into the interior of said main housing for operating said fluid-compressing means, and a lubricant opening formed in said front plate and in communication with the interior of said main housing, the improvement which comprises: means pivotably mounted to the interior of said front plate and pivotable about its axis in one of a first and second direction in accordance with the direction of rotation of said shaft, said pivotable means being located adjacent said lubricant opening for deflecting lubricant incident thereon into said lubricant opening. 
     
     
       12. The improvement of claim 11, in which said pivotable deflecting means includes a post fixedly secured to said front plate at a location above said lubricant opening, and a flapper element pivotably mounted on said post and having a portion extending below said post and over said lubricant opening. 
     
     
       13. The improvement of claim 11, further including a fixed lubricant-directing member secured to the inner wall of said main housing and positioned so as to deflect lubricant onto said pivotable deflecting means for deflection of lubricant into said lubricant opening. 
     
     
       14. The improvement of claim 11, in which said operating means includes a cam rotor mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith and located within the interior of said main housing, said cam rotor including a sloping surface formed on the outer periphery thereof for directing lubricant incident thereon toward said lubricant opening and said pivotable deflecting means. 
     
     
       15. A compressor including a main housing, at least one chamber for receiving therein a fluid, means for compressing said fluid in said chamber, means for imparting fluid compression motion to said compressing means, said last-mentioned means including a shaft and a rotor affixed thereto, a front plate having a lubricant opening therein in communication with the interior of said main housing, said rotor having an upwardly sloping surface formed on the outer periphery thereof for directing a quantity of lubricant incident thereon toward said lubricant opening, a deflecting element located adjacent said lubricant opening for deflecting oil directed thereto by said sloping surface to said lubricant, and a flapper element pivotably mounted to the interior of said front plate and positioned adjacent said lubricant opening and said deflecting element.